The Drop Set with Darin Starr: Bodybuilding for the Masses

Based on feedback I got just discussing this topic with people before recording this episode, I know it will NOT be popular and many won’t want to hear it – I’m ok with that, but I also think it makes for a FASCINATING conversation that raises a lot of interesting questions that don’t have obvious solutions.  Worth a listen!  Also, my weekly update to kick things off!

Had several additional questions from my Q&A request come in AFTER yesterday’s episode went up, so back to the well for another round today!

I put out a call for listener questions and so they run the gamut today – also a quick recap on me and my always exciting life!

How much protein do you really need, and how much is too much?  This comes from a great listener question and rather than cite studies (which can support arguments on either end of the spectrum), I offer a little practical insight and opinion instead.  Also:  I get a little heated as I work to get some things off my chest!

At last, enough material for a mini Q&A segment, but it’s relevant!  Also, I’m getting a *lot* of questions about exactly why I’m cutting and what I’m prepping for, so I figure it’s time to spill the beans!

Should men and women train differently?  It’s a basic question with a pretty easy answer, so I dig a bit deeper into the weeds on what they SHOULD do specifically.  Also, an open invitation to roast me, on my own show!  Clearly, I’m a masochist.

Are you bringing it on your lifts every day?  No, I mean *really* bringing it?  Listen to find out what I mean.

I went to the Knox Classic this last weekend to take in the sights – and yeah, it’s an amateur show and YOU don’t know anyone there so I’ll spare you the gory details but I do have some takeaway thoughts.  And, spoiler alert, yes, I *DO* now have a coach (details around the 18:00 mark).  Also a great question from a client:  how to get into doing online coaching and how to...

Want to make food substitutions to your meal plan but are uncomfortable in your skills and abilities to do so?  Learn the secrets as I go over a couple examples – a basic one where we change out a carb source, and a more complex example where changing a protein source has a cascading effect that necessitates other changes.  Also:  my thoughts on the updated guidelines issues by the NPC/IFBB...

It’s Panic City at Five Starr HQ as I’m heading out to dinner tonight with just a couple hours notice to plan what I’m doing at a place that does NOT have nutritional facts available for their menu.  What ever shall I do?  Listen and find out!

It’s time to talk calorie tracking & heart rate monitors!  What to rely on and believe, what NOT to trust, and a bit of a game-changer as I talk about relative vs. absolute figures (it’s more exciting than it sounds…maybe).

Had an online coach before that really was just a perfect little shit?  You aren’t alone.  I talk a little here about some of my own lousy experiences and share some horror stories from clients as well – all names withheld, though I debated just outing some people…

This isn’t an episode about the technical ways in which you can have an effective cut, but instead about all the things you can and SHOULD do *before* starting your diet in order to ensure it’s as effective as it possibly can be.  Thinking about a show in 2019?  NOW is when you should start thinking about some of these things!

Bodybuilding is all about the long game.  Remaining as injury-free as possible in order to keep progressing.  What exercises are most likely to mess you up and cause you to miss time?  My thoughts may surprise you – a quick 20 minute rundown!

So easy to overlook – but outside of the actual  LIFT , what else do you do at the gym when you’re there?  Let’s talk warmups, stretching, what to bring and what (not) to wear.  It depresses me that the last part of that is necessary but alas, it’s 2018 and here we are.

In this first MINI EPISODE of The Dropset (no frills, 20 minutes!) I talk about Comfort Zones:  what they are how, how to find them, why they suck, how to get out of one, and WHY it is so valuable to do so!

It’s been a wild summer but I’m BACK and we have big plans for the weeks and months ahead.  I kick things off this week as I week you through an unrehearsed construction of my new cutting diet.  I talk about what my macros are and why, how many meals I’m having, we’ll build them all from scratch, make mistakes and fix them, and I’ll talk about how I expect it to chang...

FINALLY – enough listener input for a full-on Q&A segment, THANK YOU to all who contributed.  Also:  something sneaky to watch for if you’re searching for an online coach, and what exactly happens on show day?  Not as far as food/water/etc, but like…what goes on backstage and how can you be as prepared as possible?  I have a good answer!

I’m baaaaaack!  In this episode I steal Drea & Britney from Ravish Sands for a good half an hour to talk suits – what to consider when shopping for one, how to save a few bucks, and some common pitfalls to avoid.  Also, I weigh in on some ill-advised back and forth between two Olympia winners that had me shaking my head.  Also:  why I am a big, huge idiot (that’s at the end!)

What are the most common “big picture” mistakes people make in the gym?  My Facebook group participants had ALL KINDS of ideas and I flesh them out here.  Also, what’s the deal with peak week?  Why do people do all this crazy crap and how much of it actually works in a productive way?  Listen and find out!  

My client Alex drop in to discuss her experience from start to finish and beyond in taking a year to get ready for her first two shows.  We also discuss vegetarianism and how it impacted her prep along with Crohn’s disease and how she manages it.  In other news, The Drop Set wants YOU to call in and ask questions!  Call 865-518-2974 and leave a message to have your question played and answer...

Labdoor is a company that conducts independent testing of supplements for quality, purity, and accuracy of contents – this episode includes my extended conversation with it’s founder and CEO, Neil Thanedar.  Also, how long should you prep for?  I divide people into 2 groups and then delve into the particulars for both!

Episode 52 features my interview with OCB competitor and show promoter Shar LeGree, as we discuss all things  related to the OCB, which is a natural competitive organization that is growing rapidly.  We talk about how you become an OCB pro, what makes this organization different, specifics of drug testing, and more.

Dean is a former client of mine and we have a nice long chat about his time competing last year, what bodybuilding is all about to him, and how it played a role in turning his life around from a very dark place just a few years ago. You absolutely don’t want to miss this.

If you’ve ever had trouble picking the right show or have literally ZERO idea how to start that process, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.